One man's scalper/gouger is another man's supplier and savior in time of need. In a supply and demand market like we have there's no such thing as price gouging. You're either willing to pay a price for a product or you're not. If you don't buy the product it gives someone else the opportunity to buy it and you save your money for something else. If it doesn't sell at the asking price, the price is adjusted until it does sell. You're also free not to conduct business with that person or business in the future.

Your poor father and son example who don't have .22 ammo to go shoot will most likely have some next time there's a shortage if they've learned their lesson...or they won't. Nobody has the right to have ammo in any particular quantity or at any particular price with the exception of the amount that's for sale at the asking or agreed upon price. If you have the means and you're willing to pay the price, you buy it. If not...tough. I want a nice house in the middle of 1000 acres with my own shooting range. But the real estate market and my own marketable skills being what they are, guess what I don't have?

Yes. It really is that simple.

As to signing an agreement with CMP...then that's really not a free market transaction. The CMP set rules for a sale and they can choose to enforce those rules against that seller if they choose and if they're aware it's going on (did you or anyone else notify them of the "scalper's" activities?) and if the seller signed the same agreement. I've purchased 2 or 3 rifles from the CMP and sold all but one...the best one I wanted to keep. I never signed anything that said I couldn't resell the item(s) I bought. It does say it's for personal use. I personally used it until I found a rifle that I wanted more than the first one then sold it. I didn't violate any CMP agreement. I've also bought several cans of Greek '06 ammo. I decided I got too much and sold a couple. I made a few dollars on all of those sales. I don't feel guilty for doing it and don't think I violated the spirit of the CMP program because the persons who purchased the items were very happy with the items I had for sale at the price I was asking.

I don't like the fact that some ammo prices are very high and availability is very limited...at the time I could use some more .22WMR but that's not the point. The point is I understand economics when it comes to the (relatively) free market and the theory of supply and demand well enough that you can bet your ass when .22WMR is available again at a reasonable price (that would be a price I am willing to pay...not necessarily anyone else) I'll be stocking up if my means permit it.

Price gouging is a myth, pure and simple. If you don't understand and believe that then you don't have an understanding of how a free market and capitalism works. At all. Because that's it at it's very basic level.